JP7475475B2 - In-vehicle display device and communication connection method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an in-vehicle display device and a communication connection method.

Conventionally, there is known technology for mounting a display device such as a television monitor in a manner that allows it to be stored in the ceiling of a vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the conventional device, the television body is stored in a recess in a base part provided in the ceiling of the vehicle. The television body is stored in the recess in the base part by rotating the television body via a rotation shaft provided at one end of the television body. The stored state of the television body is fixed by engaging the opposite end of the rotation shaft with the inside of the recess.

JP 2006-264664 A

In a configuration in which the display unit (e.g., the television body) rotates relative to the base unit to open and close, a flexible printed circuit board can be used for the communication connection between the base unit and the display unit. However, when using a flexible printed circuit board, there are concerns that it may not be durable enough. For this reason, in the past, instead of using a flexible printed circuit board, thin coaxial cables or discrete wires were sometimes used to connect the communication between the base unit and the display unit.

However, when a thin coaxial cable or the like is used for the communication connection between the base unit and the display unit, the length of the thin coaxial cable or the like tends to be long. If the length of the thin coaxial cable or the like becomes long, there is a concern that the quality of the signal waveform of the video signal or the like may deteriorate, and that the EMC (Electro-Magnetic Compatibility) performance may be insufficient.

In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a technology for an in-vehicle display device in which a display unit is openably and closably arranged relative to a base unit, which can improve the communication quality between the base unit and the display unit while suppressing a decrease in durability.

An exemplary in-vehicle display device of the present invention is a display device mounted on a vehicle, and includes a base unit installed at a predetermined location on the vehicle, a display unit supported on the base unit so as to be openable and closable, a first substrate provided on the base unit, a second substrate provided on the display unit, and a moving mechanism that brings the first substrate and the second substrate closer together to enable contactless communication when the display unit is opened.

An exemplary communication connection method of the present invention is a communication connection method between substrates in an in-vehicle display device in which a display unit is openably and closably arranged relative to a base unit, in which a rotational action to open the display unit automatically brings a first substrate of the base unit and a second substrate of the display unit close together to a distance that allows non-contact communication.

According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in an in-vehicle display device in which a display unit is openably and closably arranged relative to a base unit, it is possible to improve the communication quality between the base unit and the display unit while suppressing a decrease in durability.

Schematic perspective view of an in-vehicle display device FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the display unit of the in-vehicle display device shown in FIG. 1 is open. FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining an electrical configuration of the in-vehicle display device; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an in-vehicle display device; 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the relationship between a rod-shaped member and a hinge shaft. A flowchart showing a flow of communication connection operations between boards in an in-vehicle display device. Schematic diagram showing the intermediate stages of the display opening operation Schematic diagram showing the display fully open Schematic diagram showing the state in which non-contact communication between boards is possible

Below, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description of the in-vehicle display device, directional expressions based on the vehicle on which the in-vehicle display device is mounted will be used. That is, the straight-line direction of the vehicle, from the driver's seat to the steering wheel, is referred to as the "forward direction". Also, the straight-line direction of the vehicle, from the steering wheel to the driver's seat, is referred to as the "rearward direction". Also, the direction perpendicular to the straight-line direction of the vehicle and the vertical line, from the right side to the left side of the driver facing forward, is referred to as the "leftward direction". Also, the direction perpendicular to the straight-line direction of the vehicle and the vertical line, from the left side to the right side of the driver facing forward, is referred to as the "rightward direction". Note that these directions are names used simply for explanation, and are not intended to limit the actual positional relationship and direction.

In this specification, when two directions are "parallel," this includes not only a state in which they do not intersect at all no matter how far they are extended, but also a state in which they are substantially parallel. When two directions are "orthogonal," this includes not only a state in which they intersect at 90 degrees, but also a state in which they intersect at substantially 90 degrees. In other words, "parallel" and "orthogonal" each include a state in which there is an angular deviation in the positional relationship between the two directions that does not deviate from the spirit of this invention.

1. Overview of in-vehicle display device
Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an in-vehicle display device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The in-vehicle display device 100 is a display device mounted on a vehicle. More specifically, the in-vehicle display device 100 is disposed on the ceiling of a vehicle compartment. Fig. 1 is a view of the in-vehicle display device 100 disposed on the ceiling of a vehicle compartment, viewed from diagonally below and rear to the right.

The in-vehicle display device 100 is, in detail, a device for enjoying television, DVD images, etc. in the rear seats of the vehicle cabin, and is a device for a so-called rear seat entertainment (RSE) system. The in-vehicle display device 100 is connected to a head unit (not shown) configured as, for example, a navigation device or a display audio, etc., by a wire harness. The in-vehicle display device 100 is supplied with power, video signals, etc. from the head unit. The head unit is, for example, disposed in the instrument panel at the front of the vehicle. Note that the in-vehicle display device 100 does not necessarily have to be a device for an RSE system, and may be a device used alone.

As shown in FIG. 1, the in-vehicle display device 100 comprises a base unit 1 and a display unit 2. The base unit 1 is installed at a predetermined location in the vehicle. In this embodiment, the predetermined location in the vehicle is the ceiling of the passenger compartment. However, the base unit 1 may be disposed at a location other than the ceiling of the passenger compartment. If the base unit 1 is disposed at a location other than the ceiling of the passenger compartment, the location of the in-vehicle display device will also be other than the ceiling of the passenger compartment.

The display unit 2 includes a display panel 21 (see, for example, FIG. 3) such as an organic EL panel or a liquid crystal panel, and displays an image. The display unit 2 is supported on the base unit 1 so as to be openable and closable. In detail, the display unit 2 is supported on the base unit 1 via a hinge unit 3 (see, for example, FIG. 5) so as to be openable and closable. FIG. 1 shows the display unit 2 in a closed state. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the display unit 2 of the in-vehicle display device 100 shown in FIG. 1 in an open state.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the base unit 1 is a rectangular housing when viewed from below in a plan view. As shown in Figure 2, the base unit 1 has a base recess 1a on its underside that is recessed upward. The base recess 1a is rectangular when viewed from below in a plan view. The display unit 2 is housed within the base recess 1a when in a closed state. The display unit 2 is rectangular and is flush with the underside of the base unit 1 when in a closed state.

A hinge shaft 31 (see FIG. 4, for example) that extends in the left-right direction and constitutes the hinge unit 3 is disposed on the front side of the base unit 1. The display unit 2 is provided so as to be rotatable about the hinge shaft 31. The display unit 2 rotates downward about the hinge shaft 31 from the closed state shown in FIG. 1 to the open state shown in FIG. 2. When the display unit 2 is open, the screen 2a that displays images is exposed to the outside. When the display unit 2 is open, the screen 2a is disposed on a surface that faces a vehicle occupant facing forward. When the display unit 2 is fully open, the screen 2a is parallel to the up-down direction. When the display unit 2 is closed, the screen 2a faces upward and is hidden within the base unit 1.

Figure 3 is a block diagram for explaining the electrical configuration of the in-vehicle display device 100. As shown in Figure 3, the base unit 1 includes a power supply unit 11, a control unit 12, an image processing unit 13, and an opening/closing motor 14. The opening/closing motor 14 is a motor that serves as a drive source for rotating the display unit 2 relative to the base unit 1. The in-vehicle display device 100 includes the opening/closing motor 14 and a power transmission mechanism (not shown) that transmits the power of the opening/closing motor 14 to the display unit 2, thereby enabling the display unit 2 to rotate relative to the base unit 1. The power transmission mechanism includes gears, etc.

The power supply unit 11 is a power supply circuit that supplies power to various electrical components equipped in the in-vehicle display device 100. The power supply unit 11 includes, for example, a circuit that changes the power supply voltage supplied from the head unit. The control unit 12 is a microcontroller that controls the entire in-vehicle display device 100. The control unit 12 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a memory. The control unit 12 controls the display of images on the display unit 2. The video processing unit 13 is formed of an integrated circuit, and performs various processes on the video signal input from the head unit, and outputs the processed video signal to the display unit 2.

As described above, the display unit 2 includes a display panel 21. The display panel 21 displays a video (image) according to a video signal transmitted from the video processing unit 13 under the control of the control unit 12.

The power supply unit 11, the control unit 12, and the video processing unit 13 are arranged on a substrate provided on the base unit 1. For example, power, control signals, and video signals are sent from the substrate to the display unit 2 (display panel 21). In this embodiment, power is supplied from the substrate to the display unit 2 using a cable such as a discrete wire. Control signals and video signals are transmitted from the substrate to the display unit 2 using non-contact communication that does not use a cable. A communication connection structure that enables non-contact communication is described below. Note that if the display unit 2 has a speaker that outputs audio, audio signals and signals that control the speaker may also be transmitted from the substrate of the base unit 1 to the display unit 2.

2. Communication connection structure
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the in-vehicle display device 100. FIG. 4 is a side view of the in-vehicle display device 100 seen from the right, and is a schematic diagram drawn assuming that the right side surface of the base unit 1 is transparent. FIG. 4 also shows a case where the display unit 2 is in a closed state. In FIG. 4, the display panel 21 included in the display unit 2 is also shown with a dashed line because it is not actually visible from the right side. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view at the position A-A in FIG. 4. In FIG. 5, some parts located above the cut surface are shown with a dashed line to make it easier to understand the positional relationship.

As shown in FIG. 4, the in-vehicle display device 100 comprises a first substrate 10, a second substrate 20, and a moving mechanism 4.

The first substrate 10 is provided on the base portion 1. The first substrate 10 is a circuit board. More specifically, the first substrate 10 is disposed inside the base portion 1. The first substrate 10 is fixed to the base portion 1. In other words, the first substrate 10 does not move inside the base portion 1. The method of fixing the first substrate 10 to the base portion 1 may be, for example, screwing or gluing.

In detail, the first substrate 10 extends in a direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the vertical direction. Although not shown in FIG. 4, the above-mentioned power supply unit 11, control unit 12, and video processing unit 13 are arranged on a surface of the first substrate 10 perpendicular to the vertical direction. The first substrate 10 also has a first transmission line 51. In this embodiment, the first transmission line 51 is preferably formed on the underside of the first substrate 10. Details of the first transmission line 51 will be described later.

The second substrate 20 is provided on the display unit 2. The second substrate 20 is a circuit board. As shown in FIG. 4, when the display unit 2 is closed, the second substrate 20 extends in a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The display panel 21 of the display unit 2 extends in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction when the display unit 2 is closed. That is, when the display unit 2 is closed, the direction in which the second substrate 20 extends is perpendicular to the direction in which the display panel 21 extends. The second substrate 20 may be fixed directly to the display panel 21, or may be fixed to the display panel 21 via another member. The second substrate 20 is electrically connected to the display panel 21. When the display unit 2 is closed, the second substrate 20 is disposed in front of the display unit 2 and extends upward. The display panel 21 and the first substrate 10 are opposed to each other in the up-down direction.

The second substrate 20 has a second transmission line 52. The second transmission line 52 is paired with the first transmission line 51 to form a transmission line coupler 5. In this embodiment, the second transmission line 52 is disposed on the front surface of the second substrate 20 when the display unit 2 is closed. The transmission line coupler (TLC) is a non-contact connector that enables wireless data communication by capacitive coupling and inductive coupling between transmission lines disposed close to each other. The transmission line coupler is a known technology, and in this embodiment, the first transmission line 51 and the second transmission line 52 may have a known configuration.

In this embodiment, when the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 are in a specific state, the transmission line coupler 5 exerts its function to enable data communication between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20. The specific state will be described later. In this embodiment, since the transmission line coupler is used for non-contact communication, for example, the reliability of non-contact communication can be improved. Note that, when the display unit 2 is closed, the first transmission line 51 and the second transmission line 52 are separated in a mutually orthogonal relationship and do not form the transmission line coupler 5. In other words, when the display unit 2 is closed, non-contact communication cannot be performed between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20. The state in which the display unit 2 is closed does not correspond to the above-mentioned specific state.

As described above, the display unit 2 is opened by utilizing the hinge unit 3. Here, the configuration of the hinge unit 3 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 5, the hinge unit 3 is composed of a hinge shaft 31 and a bearing 32. The hinge shaft 31 is cylindrical or cylindrical and extends in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, the hinge shaft 31 is fixed to the display unit 2. In other words, the hinge shaft 31 is integral with the display unit 2. In detail, the hinge shaft 31 is fixed to the front end of the display unit 2.

The bearing 32 is provided on the base portion 1 as shown in FIG. 5. In detail, the base portion 1 has a frame-shaped support portion 1b inside. The bearing 32 is composed of a pair of recesses recessed downward from the upper surface of the support portion 1b. The pair of recesses are arranged symmetrically. Of the pair of recesses, the left recess is open at the right end, and the right recess is open at the left end. By fitting the left and right ends of the hinge shaft 31 into the pair of recesses from above, respectively, the hinge shaft 31 is rotatably supported by the bearing 32.

In this embodiment, the bearing 32 is provided in the base unit 1, but the bearing may be provided in the display unit 2. In this case, for example, the bearing may be cylindrical extending in the left-right direction and provided at the front end of the display unit 2. The hinge shaft passes through the cylindrical bearing. The hinge shaft is arranged so as not to rotate relative to the base unit 1, and the display unit 2 having the bearing rotates around the hinge shaft. However, in both the configuration of this modified example and the configuration of this embodiment, the hinge shaft is supported by the base unit 1 so as to be movable in the up-down direction relative to the base unit 1. This point will be described in detail later.

When the display unit 2 is opened, the moving mechanism 4 brings the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer to each other to enable non-contact communication. This makes it possible to communicate data between the base unit 1 and the display unit 2 without using electrical cables such as fine coaxial cables or discrete wires in the in-vehicle display device 100 in which the display unit 2 is openably and closably provided relative to the base unit 1. This makes it possible to avoid the occurrence of a situation in which the signal line is disconnected due to the opening and closing of the display unit 2, and improves the durability of the in-vehicle display device 100. In addition, since non-contact communication can be used, it is possible to avoid the deterioration of signal waveform quality and the insufficient EMC performance that were a concern in the case of a configuration in which a cable for data communication is drawn around, and to improve communication quality and EMC performance. In addition, since it is not necessary to draw a cable for data communication from the base unit 1 to the display unit 2, it is not necessary to pass a large number of cables for communication inside the hinge unit as in the conventional case, and it is possible to avoid the size of the hinge unit becoming large.

In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 4 is provided to be able to move the second substrate 20. The moving mechanism 4 moves the second substrate 20 closer to the first substrate 10. The moving mechanism only needs to be able to move the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer to each other, so it may be configured to move the first substrate 10 closer to the second substrate 20. However, by configuring the moving mechanism 4 to move the second substrate 20 as in this embodiment, it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of moving parts, and to avoid the structure of the in-vehicle display device 100 becoming complicated.

In detail, the movement mechanism 4 slides the display unit 2 to bring the second substrate 20 closer to the first substrate 10. By configuring in this manner, it is not necessary to make the second substrate 20 separable from the display unit 2, and it is possible to avoid a complicated structure. In more detail, the movement mechanism 4 includes a first magnet 41, a second magnet 42, and a rod-shaped member 43.

The first magnet 41 is provided on the base portion 1. In detail, the first magnet 41 is arranged on the base portion 1 away from the first substrate 10. That is, the first magnet 41 is arranged on a member constituting the base portion 1 other than the first substrate 10. The first magnet 41 may be arranged on the first substrate 10. However, by arranging the first magnet 41 away from the first substrate 10 as in this embodiment, it is possible to make electronic components arranged on the first substrate 10 less susceptible to the effects of magnetic force.

In this embodiment, there are two first magnets 41. The two first magnets 41 are arranged on either side of the first substrate 10 in the left-right direction. The two first magnets 41 are arranged symmetrically on either side of the first substrate 10. However, the number and arrangement of the first magnets 41 may be changed as appropriate. There may be a single first magnet 41, or a multiple of three or more first magnets 41.

The second magnet 42 is provided in the display unit 2. The second magnet 42 pairs with the first magnet 41 to generate a force that brings the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer together. Since the second magnet 42 is used in a pair with the first magnet 41, in this embodiment, the number of the second magnets 42 is two, the same as the number of the first magnets 41. In addition, the second magnet 42 is arranged in a position where it can pair with the first magnet 41 to bring the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer together.

In detail, the second magnet 42 is disposed on the second substrate 20. By configuring in this manner, it is possible to form a simple structure in which the two substrates 10, 20 are brought closer together by the attractive force between the first magnet 41 and the second magnet 42 in conjunction with the rotational movement of the display unit 2. However, the second magnet 42 may be disposed on a part of the display unit 2 other than the second substrate 20.

It is preferable that at least one of the first magnet 41 and the second magnet 42 is an electromagnet. This configuration allows the operation of closing the display unit 2 to be performed easily. In addition, as a preferred embodiment, the first magnet 41 may be an electromagnet and the second magnet 42 may be a permanent magnet. This makes it possible to prevent an increase in the weight of the display unit 2, which is a movable body.

The rod-shaped member 43 is fixed to the base unit 1. The rod-shaped member 43 slides the display unit 2. In the present embodiment, the display unit 2 is moved using a magnet and a rod-shaped member, which makes it possible to prevent the movement mechanism for bringing the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer to each other from becoming complicated.

In detail, the rod-shaped member 43 extends in the vertical direction. That is, the display unit 2 is provided so as to be slidable in the vertical direction along the rod-shaped member 43. The rod-shaped member 43 is, for example, cylindrical or cylindrical. In this embodiment, the rod-shaped member 43 is disposed above each of a pair of recesses that constitute the bearing 32. That is, the movement mechanism 4 includes a pair of rod-shaped members 43 that are disposed symmetrically on the left and right. However, the number and arrangement of the rod-shaped members may be changed as appropriate.

Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the rod-shaped member 43 and the hinge shaft 31. Figure 6 is a diagram assuming the display unit 2 is in a closed state. As shown in Figure 6, the rod-shaped member 43 is specifically arranged on the hinge shaft 31 arranged in the bearing 32. The lower end of the rod-shaped member 43 and the upper end of the hinge shaft 31 arranged in the bearing 32 may be in contact with each other or may be arranged with a small gap therebetween. When the rod-shaped member 43 and the hinge shaft 31 are in contact with each other, it is preferable that the lower end of the rod-shaped member 43 be a concave or convex surface along the side surface of the hinge shaft 31.

The hinge shaft 31 is provided with a through hole 31a. Two through holes 31a are provided to match the number of rod-shaped members 43. When the display unit 2 is closed, the through hole 31a penetrates in the front-rear direction. When the display unit 2 changes from a closed state to an open state, the hinge shaft 31 rotates. When the display unit 2 is fully open, the through hole 31a penetrates in the vertical direction. That is, when the display unit 2 is fully open, the rod-shaped member 43 extending vertically can be inserted through the through hole 31a. When the display unit 2 is fully open, the through hole 31a overlaps with the rod-shaped member 43 in a plan view from the vertical direction and has a larger area than the rod-shaped member 43. Due to the relationship between the through hole 31a and the rod-shaped member 43, when the display unit 2 is fully open, the display unit 2 slides upward along the rod-shaped member 43 due to the attractive force of the magnets 41 and 42.

In the case of a configuration in which the bearings are provided in the display unit 2 (the hinge portion of the modified example described above), for example, a pair of left and right rod-shaped members 43 may pass through the hinge shaft in the vertical direction, and the hinge shaft may be supported non-rotatably by the base unit 1. Even in this case, the hinge shaft can be configured to slide vertically along the rod-shaped members 43. In other words, the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 can be brought closer together. In the case of this configuration, the display unit 2 will slide upwards due to the attractive force of the magnets 41, 42 while performing the opening operation (rotating operation).

<3. Communication connection operation>
Hereinafter, a description will be given of the communication connection operation between the boards in the in-vehicle display device 100. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of the communication connection operation between the boards in the in-vehicle display device 100. Note that, before the flow of Fig. 7 starts, the display unit 2 is in a closed state, and non-contact communication cannot be performed between the first board 10 and the second board 20.

For example, when a command to use the in-vehicle display device 100 is input to the head unit, the in-vehicle display device 100 starts rotating to open the display unit 2 (step S1). This rotation is performed using the opening/closing motor 14 as a driving source. From the state shown in FIG. 4, the display unit 2 starts rotating downward around the hinge shaft 31.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an intermediate stage of the opening operation of the display unit 2. As shown in Figure 8, when the display unit 2 starts to rotate to open, the different magnetic poles of the first magnet 41 and the second magnet 42 approach each other and begin to attract each other. However, before the display unit 2 is completely open, the rod-shaped member 43 comes into contact with the hinge shaft 31, so the hinge shaft 31 cannot move upward.

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the display unit 2 in a fully open state. As shown in Figure 9, when the display unit 2 is fully open, the rod-shaped member 43 can be inserted into the through hole 31a. Furthermore, the N pole of the first magnet 41 and the S pole of the second magnet 42 face each other in the vertical direction and attract each other. As a result, the display unit 2 starts to slide upward along the rod-shaped member 43. In other words, the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 start to approach each other (step S2). It is to be noted that the orientation of the magnetic poles of the first magnet 41 and the second magnet 42 may of course be opposite to that of the configuration of this embodiment.

As the display unit 2 rises, the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20, which are now arranged parallel to each other, approach each other. When the vertical distance between the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 reaches a predetermined distance, the display unit 2 stops rising. Figure 10 shows this state. The predetermined distance is the distance at which the first transmission line 51 and the second transmission line 52 form the transmission line coupler 5, enabling non-contact communication between the substrates. It is preferable to provide a stopper on the base unit 1 that stops the rise of the display unit 2 when that distance is reached. However, the display unit 2 may be configured to stop rising due to contact between the first magnet 41 and the second magnet 42.

In the present embodiment, as a preferred embodiment, the control unit 12 monitors whether non-contact communication is possible (step S3). Whether non-contact communication is possible can be determined using a known handshake communication technique. For example, when non-contact communication is possible, the second board 20 detects a High signal output from the first board 10, and switches the signal output to the first board 10 from High to Low in response to this detection. By detecting this signal switch, the control unit 12 determines that non-contact communication is possible.

When it is determined that non-contact communication is possible (Yes in step S3), the control unit 12 allows the display unit 2 to display an image. This starts image display on the display unit 2 (step S4). That is, in this embodiment, the in-vehicle display device 100 includes a control unit 12 disposed on the base unit 1. When it is determined that non-contact communication is possible, the control unit 12 starts image display on the display unit 2. This configuration makes it possible to avoid a situation in which image display is started without a video signal being properly transmitted from the base unit 1 to the display unit 2, and allows the user to see an appropriate image.

When the display unit 2 is closed, for example, the first magnet 41 configured as an electromagnet is turned off. This causes the display unit 2 to descend and the hinge shaft 31 to fit into the bearing 32, making it rotatable. In this state, the display unit 2 rotates upward around the hinge shaft 31, and the display unit 2 is in a closed state.

In the example shown in FIG. 7, image display on the display unit 2 does not start until it is determined that non-contact communication is possible. Instead of this configuration, an error may be notified, for example, when image display does not start even after a certain period of time has elapsed since the display unit 2 began to open. The error may be notified by sounding an error sound or by displaying an error message using the screen of the head unit. Alternatively, instead of notifying an error, the opening and closing operation of the display unit 2 may be repeated.

<4. Summary>
As described above, the exemplary in-vehicle display device 100 of the present invention is a display device mounted on a vehicle, and is configured to include a base unit 1 installed at a predetermined location on the vehicle, a display unit 2 supported on the base unit 1 so as to be openable and closable, a first substrate 10 provided on the base unit 1, a second substrate 20 provided on the display unit 2, and a moving mechanism 4 that brings the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer together to enable contactless communication when the display unit 2 is opened.

In the in-vehicle display device 100 configured as described above, it is preferable that the first substrate 10 has a first transmission line 51, and the second substrate 20 has a second transmission line 52 that pairs with the first transmission line 51 to form a transmission line coupler 5.

In the in-vehicle display device 100 configured as described above, it is preferable that the first substrate 10 is fixed to the base portion 1, and the moving mechanism 4 is configured to bring the second substrate 20 closer to the first substrate 10.

In the in-vehicle display device 100 configured as described above, it is preferable that the moving mechanism 4 is configured to slide the display unit 2 to bring the second substrate 20 closer to the first substrate 10.

In the in-vehicle display device 100 configured as described above, it is preferable that the movement mechanism 4 is configured to include a first magnet 41 provided on the base portion 1, a second magnet 42 provided on the display portion 2 and paired with the first magnet 41 to generate a force that brings the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer together, and a rod-shaped member 43 fixed to the base portion 1 and sliding the display portion 2.

In the in-vehicle display device 100 configured as described above, the first magnet 41 may be arranged on the base portion 1 away from the first substrate 10, and the second magnet 42 may be arranged on the second substrate 20.

The in-vehicle display device 100 of the above configuration further includes a control unit 12 arranged on the base unit 1, and the control unit 12 may be configured to start displaying an image on the display unit 2 when it determines that non-contact communication has become possible.

In addition, an exemplary communication connection method of the present invention is a communication connection method between boards in an in-vehicle display device 100 in which the display unit 2 is openably and closably arranged relative to the base unit 1, and is configured such that, due to the rotational action of opening the display unit 2, the first board 10 of the base unit 1 and the second board 20 of the display unit 2 are automatically brought closer to each other so that non-contact communication is possible.

In the above description, the attractive force of magnets 41, 42 is used to bring the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer to each other. Something other than the attractive force of magnets may be used to bring the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer to each other. For example, the force of a motor may be used to bring the first substrate 10 and the second substrate 20 closer to each other.

<5. Important Notice＞
In addition to the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications, the various technical features disclosed in this specification can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the technical creation. The embodiments and modifications should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The technical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not the description of the above embodiments and modifications. It should be understood that the scope of the claims is defined by the following definitions, and includes all modifications that fall within the scope of the claims and are equivalent thereto. The modified examples may be implemented in appropriate combination to the extent possible.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1: base section 2: display section 4: movement mechanism 5: transmission line coupler 10: first substrate 12: control section 20: second substrate 41: first magnet 42: second magnet 43: rod-shaped member 51: first transmission line 52: second transmission line 100: in-vehicle display device

Claims (6)

A display device mounted on a vehicle,
A base unit installed at a predetermined location on the vehicle;
a display unit supported on the base unit so as to be openable and closable by rotation about a hinge axis ;
A first substrate fixed to the base portion;
A second substrate provided in the display unit;
a movement mechanism that moves the second substrate closer to the first substrate when the display unit is opened, thereby enabling non-contact communication;
Equipped with
the moving mechanism includes a rod-shaped member extending in a direction intersecting with the hinge axis and fixed to the base portion,
The second substrate approaches the first substrate by sliding the display portion along the rod-shaped member in a direction in which the rod-shaped member extends. the first substrate has a first transmission line;
The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 , wherein the second substrate has a second transmission line that is paired with the first transmission line to form a transmission line coupler. The moving mechanism includes:
A first magnet provided on the base portion;
a second magnet provided in the display unit, paired with the first magnet to generate a force that brings the first substrate and the second substrate closer to each other ;
The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising : the first magnet is disposed on the base portion away from the first substrate;
The in-vehicle display device according to claim 3 , wherein the second magnet is disposed on the second substrate. A control unit disposed on the base unit,
The in-vehicle display device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit starts displaying an image on the display unit when it is determined that the non-contact communication is enabled. A communication connection method between substrates in an in-vehicle display device in which a display unit is provided so as to be openable and closable by rotating around a hinge axis relative to a base unit, comprising:
A communication connection method in which, in response to a rotational action to open the display unit, the display unit is slid along a rod-shaped member provided on the base unit extending in a direction intersecting the hinge axis, thereby automatically bringing a second substrate of the display unit closer to a first substrate of the base unit so as to be close enough for non-contact communication.

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